Offering camping in the UK: How long should I open my campsite for?

How long is the camping season in the UK?

The camping season in the UK is traditionally from April to October. The six months of spring, summer, and early autumn offer the year’s most reliable weather and cover the main school holidays too so it’s when most of us take our outdoorsy holidays.

This period usually covers the Easter holidays (though that varies year to year), May bank holiday weekends, and half term, as well as the six weeks of school summer holidays. And those six weeks include one of the busiest camping weekends of the year: the August Bank Holiday. In England this falls on the last Monday of the month. In Scotland, it’s the first Monday of the month. Wherever you are thinking of hosting campers or glampers, it is worth knowing that this weekend in August is when demand is likely to be highest.

The April-to-October stretch also coincides with the accepted tourist season for many UK attractions. Lots of heritage sites, boat rides, and theme parks reduce opening hours from or after October to weekends only. Some close down altogether. It follows that demand for accommodation options near them drops off too.

How long is the glamping season in the UK?

One way to extend the season is to offer cosy glamping accommodation that works whatever the weather. A shepherd’s hut, for example, with insulation and a log burner can be just as good in winter as in summer—in fact some people might prefer it in the winter months. With accommodation such as this, or anything that can be well insulated and/or heated, the glamping season in the UK is not limited. It can be open all year round and plenty of our existing Hipcamp hosts operate in this way. Some go as far as having underfloor heating and heated towel rails to make the experience of winter glamping as comfortable as can be.

There are, however, some glamping options that do not work well in the colder months; these tend to be the closer-to-camping options; things like bell tents, teepees, and safari tents. Even when canvas structures are fitted with a log burner, they cannot keep the chill off to make a glamping experience that will keep the average glamper happy and are more susceptible to bad weather. How long the glamping season lasts is really down to the type of glamping accommodation you offer, or intend to offer.

How long does the average campsite open for in the UK?

Many, perhaps most, campsites in the UK open for the traditional camping season of April to October. In order to open for this season, you must have either planning permission and a campsite licence or be exempt from having a licence (by being certificated by a camping club or organisation like The Camping and Caravanning Club). Your licence—or exemption certificate—may impose conditions for your operation and this may formalise your dates of operation.

Some campsites open for a much shorter period of time: as a summer-only or temporary site; after all, if a Hipcamp is targeting a family market, the long school holidays in July and August are the most profitable time. You may choose to do this with a licence and planning permission, with an exemption certificate, or as a 28- or 60-day site. Operating a 28-day site is a bit like going under the radar—you can use any piece of land for any purpose, including camping, under permitted development rights. In England the permitted development rights (specifically for camping) have been increased to 60 days (starting from July 26, 2023)—but with the extension comes a requirement to declare your opening dates to the local authority and other responsibilities. In either case, the days do not need to be consecutive, so you can cherry-pick the best camping dates and open your site for those—or, a more popular option among hosts, pick a longer period to open for. Often campsites use this to open in the school summer holidays.

There are, of course, plenty of campsites which go the other way and opt for a longer period of time; some all year round. If you operate a campsite that accepts caravans and motorhomes, or a glamping site with insulated or heated structures, this can lengthen the season. Even tent camping sites can work year-round, or at least for a longer-than-traditional season, in certain areas. Examples are campsites in national parks or by national trails where hardy types may be looking to take part in events or challenges at any time of year.

Pros and cons of opening a year-round campsite

You would think that by operating a Hipcamp for longer, you would make more money—thus making the question of whether to operate a year-round campsite a no brainer. But, predictably, it’s not as simple as that. Opening a campsite in the winter months has both advantages and disadvantages which should be considered before deciding to take the plunge (into those potentially chilly waters):

Pros: The advantages of a year-round campsite

• Extra days mean extra income
• There’s less competition as most campsites close in winter
• You can cash in during periods of freak good weather: autumn sunshine, and warm days in early spring when other sites are closed
• If you already run a summer site most of the infrastructure is in place so costs are low
• Campers spend less time on site and use it more as a base for days out helping to keep operating costs low
• The chance to create a Scandi-sense of hygge/cosiness—especially if you have glamping units and/or communal spaces.

Cons: The disadvantages of a year-round campsite

• It’s cold! Working on a campsite in the colder months can be hard work
• Extra costs: lagging is necessary to stop pipes from freezing, communal buildings may need heating, firewood is used at speed etc
• Winter weather can damage structures and equipment on site
• Income per day is likely to be much lower: you may just have one, two or a few campers/guests at a time—and sometimes you’ll probably have none
• The price you can charge per pitch or per unit typically has to be lower in winter to encourage occupancy in less-appealing weather
• Atmosphere on site can be more difficult to create, with bare trees and fewer campers.

This article was created by the Hipcamp team based on our years of experience, research, and local understanding. However, please note that this is still only our interpretation of UK regulations and does not constitute legal advice. Hipcamp does not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Different conditions may apply depending on your individual circumstances and we recommend seeking professional advice on implementing the rules.

This article was first published on 18th March 2023.